Imagine The Last Bird of Paradise as a movie. That’s not what I was thinking as I wrote it, but in the two months since the book came out, I’ve heard often that readers would love to see a film made of the woven narratives of the two main characters. After all, it’s got a lush, tropical setting, political and corporate intrigue, and sizzling romance.
While I have no control over whether a movie might be made of the novel, it already has been made into three short “book trailers,” each focused on one aspect of the novel. Have you seen them? They’re on my YouTube channel and I’ll link each of them below, too. (If you’re a TikTok user, they’re there, too.)
Art plays an important role in the novel. Not only does the main character, Aislinn, who moves to Singapore in 2002, see movement and stories in the paintings she studies, but paintings are what connect her to another character, Elizabeth, who arrived in Singapore in 1914. The first trailer focuses on the paintings.
Aislinn is married to Liam Connolly, a banker, but she is drawn to Martin Roy, a Eurasian art dealer who has much to teach her about Singapore. Elizabeth, in 1914, is infatuated with Captain Charles Bingham, an officer with the British regiment that is tasked with protecting the colony from German invaders. The second trailer deals with romance.
The story isn’t all about love and art, however. World War I had an impact on Singapore that most people don’t know about. And while Liam and Aislinn fled New York after 9/11, it is impossible to escape the dangers of global terrorism. The third trailer focuses on terror.
Please check out the trailers, and then read the book! The Last Bird of Paradise is available from booksellers everywhere, including Amazon, Bookshop, and Barnes & Noble.
Cliff, it’s so exciting to follow the news of the book. I have it. Plan to make time to read it come May.
Thanks, Cass!